[ SHOWGSD-L ] German Shepherds on the rise.....
- From: "pmick12" <pmick12@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <Showgsd-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:22:18 -0500
shared by Peggy
From: American Kennel Club <communications@xxxxxxx>
Date: January 27, 2010 3:33:57 PM EST
Subject: AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB ANNOUNCES MOST POPULAR DOGS IN THE U.S.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
January 27, 2010
Contact: Christina Duffney
Phone: (212) 696-8344
E-mail: cmd@xxxxxxx
AMERICAN KENNEL CLUB ANNOUNCES
MOST POPULAR DOGS IN THE U.S.:
-- Labrador Retriever Remains America’s Most Popular Dog as
German Shepherd Makes A Move For The Top Spot --
-- Breeds That Help Keep Us Safe Dominate the Top 5 --
New York, NY – For the 19th consecutive year, the Labrador Retriever is the
most popular purebred dog in America, but could this be the last year for
the Lab’s reign? According to American Kennel Club® (AKC) 2009
registration statistics released today during a press conference at Grand
Central Terminal in New York City, the German Shepherd Dog overtook the
Yorkshire Terrier last year and is now ranked second most popular in the
nation for the first time in more than three decades. An American favorite
since the time of Rin Tin Tin, the German Shepherd Dog became the number one
breed of the 1920s, but then slipped in popularity until after World War II.
“Labs have been America’s top dog for nearly two decades due to their
loyal and gentle nature,” said AKC Spokesperson Lisa Peterson. “But the
German Shepherd Dog has gained ground recently, quite possibly due to the
increased attention they receive for their security efforts at home and
abroad. Hailed as the world’s leading police, guard and military dog, this
energetic and fun-loving breed is a loyal family pet, ideal companion and
dependable K-9 partner when duty calls.”
2009 Most Popular Dogs in the U.S.
1. Labrador Retriever
2. German Shepherd Dog
3. Yorkshire Terrier
4. Golden Retriever
5. Beagle
6. Boxer
7. Bulldog
8. Dachshund
9. Poodle
10. Shih Tzu
WORKING K-9s “SNIFF OUT” THE TOP 10
The German Shepherd Dog isn’t the only breed Americans will spot at the
airport or train terminal when they travel – Labradors, Golden Retrievers
and Beagles work throughout the country to keep the homeland safe. These AKC
registered breeds are used by law enforcement military and homeland security
personnel for a variety of tasks ranging from border patrol, bomb and
narcotics detection, to searching for missing persons and tracking down
fugitives.
These four breeds were developed for various forms of hunting or herding,
but the traits that made them so effective at these jobs, such as strong
scenting ability of the Beagle, the eager-to-please attitude of the Golden
Retriever and Labrador, and the bold nature of the German Shepherd, make
them effective in their careers today.
“Despite advances in security technology, the canine and its unique
abilities remain a valued resource for the military and law enforcement
agencies that work to keep us safe,” said Peterson. “The loyalty,
intelligence and hardworking nature which make these breeds desirable as K-9
partners in the field also contribute to their status as valuable companions
in the hearts of dog owners around the nation.”
PET PREFERENCES: FIFTY OF THE LARGEST CITIES
Top trends in 50 large cities in the U.S. include:
The ever-popular Lab is slowly losing ground in some towns – more U.S.
cities featured a breed other than the Labrador Retriever in its top spot
this year than in 2008. The breeds responsible for ousting the 19 year
national favorite? The German Shepherd ranked first in Columbus, Detroit,
Honolulu, Memphis, Miami, Providence and West Palm Beach; the Yorkshire
Terrier triumphed in Oakland, Tampa, NYC, and Philadelphia; the Bulldog rose
to the top in L.A.; and the Bull Terrier was a favorite in Newark, NJ.
The Bulldog is a favorite in California, perhaps due to celeb owners
such as Adam Sandler, Kelly Osborne and John Legend. The breed reached the
top spot in Los Angeles, the only city where it currently reigns as number
one. The wrinkled pooch nearly reached the top in San Diego as well, coming
in at the 2nd spot.South Florida loves its German Shepherd Dog. The breed
ranks first in West Palm Beach as well as Miami, where it has held the top
spot since 2002, the first year the American Kennel Club started tracking
city registration statistics.
Providence is the only U.S. city where the Labrador Retriever does not
factor into the Top 5. Despite ranking second in 2008, the breed dropped off
the list, making room for the German Shepherd in first place, along with the
Yorkshire Terrier, Golden Retriever, Boxer and Poodle.
Unusual breeds on local top five lists include the Bull Terrier (1st in
Newark), the Mastiff (4th in Des Moines), the Miniature Pinscher and
Shetland Sheepdog (3rd and 5th, respectively, in Richmond) and the Chihuahua
(3rd in Honolulu).
-
PET PREFERENCES: 1999– 2009
Some of the most notable recent trends in the past decade include:
- The most popular pets with the biggest increase in rankings over the
last decade included the Bulldog (from 21st to 7th); French Bulldog (from
73rd to 24th); Cavalier King Charles Spaniel (from 58th to 25th) and the
making the largest leap the Havanese (from 92nd to 32nd).
- Working K-9 breeds favored by law enforcement and the military have
shown modest gains as pets including the Belgian Malinois (from 95th to
81st), the Border Collie (from 71st to 52nd) Bloodhound (from 51st to 43rd),
and the Doberman Pinscher which served heroically with the U.S. Military
during WWII (from 23rd to 15th).
- A trend toward easy-to-groom breeds is seen with the rise of the
Mastiff (from 39th to 27th) and the Rhodesian Ridgeback (from 56th to 48th)
as well as the decline of higher maintenance breeds such as the corded
breeds the Komondor (from 132nd to 154th) and the Puli (from 123rd to 149th)
and on the Irish Terrier (from 108th to 132nd) and Sealyham Terrier (from
138th to 157th) which require hand-stripping.Among rare breeds on the
decline are the Curly-Coated Retriever (from 114th to 142nd), the Sussex
Spaniel (from 135th to 159th) and the Irish Water Spaniel (from 130th to
150th).
- Even before the Obama family selected the Portuguese Water Dog it was
on the rise in popularity ranked 80th a decade ago to 60th currently.
However, it did make a jump from 64th a year ago when all the interest in
this mid-sized, hypoallergenic breed began.
Dog lovers can see and learn more about all of their favorite breeds on
Saturday, February 6, 2010, when the AKC/Eukanuba National Championship —
where the country’s top dogs compete for $225,000 in prize money and the
title of “National Champion” — airs on Animal Planet and the Discovery
Channel, 8-11 p.m. (ET/PT). You can also catch the AKC Humane Fund Awards
for Canine Excellence honorees, which include the Golden Retriever “Robin”
in the Law Enforcement category.
[EDITOR’S NOTE: Interviews on the most popular dogs in the U.S. or in your
city can be arranged by contacting Christina Duffney at (212) 696-8344 or
cmd@xxxxxxxx Photos from the press conference, including those representing
the top five breeds and the Working German Shepherd Dog and Labrador
Retriever K-9s from New York City’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority
Police K-9 Unit – the largest transportation law enforcement agency in the
nation – are also available to members of the media upon request.]
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